Method and apparatus for removal of debris

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for cleaning a collection system of debris is shown and described. The apparatus may include a debris collector having a capacity and an inlet hose operatively coupled with the debris collector, at least a portion of the inlet hose positionable within the collection system. The apparatus may also include at least one vacuum operatively coupled with the debris collector, where the vacuum creates suction capable of forcing debris and fluid from the collection system into the inlet hose, and a debris reduction assembly attached to the inlet hose, where the debris reduction assembly is capable of generally reducing a size of the debris entering the inlet hose.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/588,507, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Debris Removal from Waste Collection Systems” filed on Jan. 19, 2012, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to a method and apparatus for removing debris from a location, and more particularly to a method and apparatus that may be capable of removing large debris from a particular location.

BACKGROUND

Collection systems such as sewers, sumps, wet wells, digesters, clarifiers, classifiers, collection tanks, and the like must be cleaned periodically in order to maintain proper fluid flow and capacity. Cleaning collection systems may remove sand and other deleterious materials that have infiltrated into, for example, a sewer as well as solid materials that have settled out from the normally slow moving waste slurry that varies in volume and flow rate depending on the collective amount of effluents emptied into the waste collection system over time. In order to properly clean large capacity collection systems such as collection tanks or the vast lengths of sewer lines in a typical city, an efficient and cost effective method of cleaning must be employed that can handle the large volume of material that must be removed from a typical collection system.

One manner of commercial waste cleaning operations utilize a water jet router made up of a high pressure water pump feeding pressurized wash water through a hose having a cleaning head on its end. This cleaning head has water nozzles on its back face that creates a jet action resulting from the high pressure water flowing out of the nozzles. The high pressure water jet action both washes the downstream waste collection system such as sewer pipe and propels the cleaning head upstream for continuous washing action of the entire length of the waste collection system such as sewer pipe being cleaned. The position of the cleaning head and its rate of forward travel may be regulated by control of the hose reel integrally mounted on the washing truck.

Commercial waste cleaning operations then utilize the following system and method for moving the resulting water slurry produced from the washing action into a collection box. A hose may be lowered into a manhole downstream of the cleaning head and be in communication with the resulting water slurry produced from the washing action. This hose is connected to a vacuum system that lifts the water slurry and all contained debris up from the bottom of the manhole into a vacuum holding tank, which may be mounted on the rear of the wash truck. Thus, the high pressure wash water brings the solid materials suspended in water to the manhole and the vacuum action picks up the waste material and deposits it into the truck-mounted holding container. When the container becomes full, the materials contained in the container are removed and disposed.

There are, however, several limitations to many of these systems. First, given that the hose is often inserted into a waste collection system such as a sewer, there are limitations as to the size of the hose that may be used due to the space restrictions. Due to the limited size of the hose that may be used, the system described above may often get clogged from debris. This is especially problematic in waste systems that have things such as tiles or other large debris therein that is too large to fit through the hose and/or the opening to the hose. Therefore, there is a need for an improved apparatus and method.

SUMMARY

An apparatus for cleaning a collection system of debris is shown and described. The apparatus may include a debris collector having a capacity and an inlet hose operatively coupled with the debris collector, at least a portion of the inlet hose positionable within the collection system. The apparatus may also include at least one vacuum operatively coupled with the debris collector, where the vacuum creates suction capable of forcing debris and fluid from the collection system into the inlet hose, and a debris reduction assembly attached to the inlet hose, where the debris reduction assembly is capable of generally reducing a size of the debris entering the inlet hose.

An apparatus for cleaning a collection system of debris may include a debris collector having a capacity, and an inlet hose operatively coupled with the debris collector, a portion of the inlet hose capable of entry into the collection system. The apparatus may also include at least one vacuum operatively coupled with the debris collector, where the vacuum creates suction capable of forcing debris and fluid from the collection system into the debris collector through the inlet hose, and a debris reduction assembly attached to the inlet hose, where the debris reduction assembly reduces a size of the debris entering the inlet hose.

A method of removing debris from a collection system is shown and described. The method may include the steps of providing a debris collector having a capacity, providing at least one vacuum operatively coupled with the debris collector, providing an inlet hose operatively coupled with the debris collector, the inlet hose including a debris reduction device, and creating suction through the inlet hose. The method may also include the steps of vacuuming the debris from the collection system through the inlet hose, contacting the debris with the debris reduction device, reducing size of the debris contacting the debris reduction device, and forcing the debris through the inlet hose and into the debris collector.

A method of removing debris from a collection system may include the steps of creating suction through an inlet hose operatively coupled to a debris collector, vacuuming the debris from the collection system through the inlet hose, and contacting the debris with a debris reduction device coupled to the inlet hose. The method may also include the steps of reducing size of the debris contacting the debris reduction device, and forcing the debris through the inlet hose and into the debris collector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Operation of the invention may be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the following illustrations, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for debris removal from collection systems;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of an inlet hose with a debris reduction assembly; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an apparatus for debris removal from collection systems.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the respective scope of the invention. Moreover, features of the various embodiments may be combined or altered without departing from the scope of the invention. As such, the following description is presented by way of illustration only and should not limit in any way the various alternatives and modifications that may be made to the illustrated embodiments and still be within the spirit and scope of the invention.

A debris removal apparatus 10 that may be capable of removing debris from a collection system is shown in FIG. 1. The debris removal apparatus 10 may be used with any appropriate collection system, such as waste collection systems, or any other item that may retain or otherwise have debris that needs to be removed therefrom. The debris removal apparatus 10 may include a debris collector such as a vacuum box 20 of an appropriate shape and size. The vacuum box 20 may be a fixed generally stationary box, a portable box that is transportable to different locations, or a hybrid of both. By way of a non-limiting example, the vacuum box 20 may have a volume of approximately 30 yards³. This may result in a vacuum box 20 that may be of a size to handle debris removal from a city sewer. The vacuum box 20 shape and size, however, may be different than that shown and described herein depending upon the particular collection system or other item having debris for which the debris removal apparatus 10 may be used. Moreover, any appropriate debris collector may be used and the present teachings are not limited to just the vacuum box 20 shown and described.

The debris removal apparatus 10 may further include an inlet hose 30 that may be operatively coupled to the vacuum box 20 in any appropriate manner. By way of a non-limiting example, the vacuum box 20 may include an inlet 34 at an appropriate location on the vacuum box 20. The inlet hose 30 may be selectively and operatively engaged with the inlet 34. The inlet hose 30 may be removable from and securable to the inlet 34 in any appropriate manner. In these embodiments, a first end 36 of the inlet hose 30 may include a coupling arrangement (not shown). The coupling arrangement may be selectively coupled to a mating coupling arrangement (not shown) attached to the vacuum box 20 at the inlet 34.

The inlet 34 may be located at an upper portion 42 of the vacuum box 20 such that the debris and water entering the vacuum box 20 may travel generally toward a floor 44 or lower portion of the vacuum box 20. This may permit the vacuum box 20, or more specifically, the inlet 34 to remain generally free of obstruction during operation of the debris removal apparatus 10 by having the debris and water moving away from the inlet 34. Gravity may cause the debris and water to fall toward the floor 44 of the vacuum box 20.

The inlet hose 30 may be of any appropriate shape and size. In some exemplary embodiments, the hose 30 may be approximately 24 inches in diameter. However, the present teachings are not limited to this size—any appropriate size hose 30 may be used. The inlet hose 30 being of this size may be particularly useful in a sewer where the line may be approximately 26 inches in diameter. This may allow the inlet hose 30 to handle larger debris than other hoses that are typically used, but it still may be capable of traveling through the sewer line. The inlet hose 30 may be of any appropriate length, such as by way of a non-limiting example ten feet or more. The appropriate length may depend upon the particular use of the apparatus 10 and how far into the collection device it must be positioned.

The inlet hose 30 may be made of any appropriate material that may be sturdy enough to generally remain free of punctures during operation of the debris removal apparatus 10. By way of a non-limiting example, the inlet hose 30 may be made of a steel and rubber combination. However, any appropriate material may be used for the inlet hose 30.

A second end 50 of the inlet hose 30 may include a generally open end 53 that may be of any appropriate size. The open end 53 may be smaller, larger or the same diameter as the inlet hose 30. The open end 53 may be of a shape and size such that debris may enter into the open end 53 and into the inlet hose 30 during operation of the debris removal apparatus 10. The second end 50 of the inlet hose 30 may also include a debris reduction assembly 55. The debris reduction assembly 55 may be operatively coupled to the second end 50 of the inlet hose 30 opposite of the first end 36. The debris reduction assembly 55 may be operatively positioned respective the open end 53 as described in more detail below.

Exemplary embodiments of the debris reduction assembly 55 are shown in FIG. 2. In these embodiments, the debris reduction assembly 55 may be positioned in advance of the open end 53 such that the debris reduction assembly 55 extends beyond the open end 53 of the inlet hose 30. The debris reduction assembly 55 may include an annular ring 57 positioned on the second end 50 of the inlet hose 30. While the drawings depict the annular ring 57 as being generally circular, the present teachings are not limited to such. The annular ring 57 may be of any appropriate shape. Further, the inlet hose 30 may be of any shape, however, in preferred embodiments, the annular ring 57 and inlet hose 30 are generally of mating shapes.

The annular ring 57 may include a plurality of teeth 60 that may generally circumscribe the annular ring 57 in any appropriate manner. The teeth 60 may be symmetrically positioned around the annular ring 57 or may be positioned asymmetrically around the annular ring 57. In other embodiments, the teeth 60 may only be positioned on a portion of a circumference of the annular ring 57. The teeth 60 may be made of any appropriate shape and size. The teeth 60 may be capable of contacting debris moving at a relatively high velocity and reducing the size thereof by breaking, disintegrating or the like such debris. The teeth 60 may be of a material that is of sufficient strengthen and hardness to break, disintegrate or the like the debris on contact. The teeth 60 may be made of any appropriate material. By way of a non-limiting example, the teeth 60 may be made of harden steel. The teeth 60 may of a shape to assist with the breaking, disintegrating or the like the debris. By way of a non-limiting example, the teeth 60 may have a generally pointed end portion 63 whereby the debris contacting the pointed end portion 63 may tend to assist with breaking, disintegrating or the like the debris.

The debris reduction assembly 55 may also act as an air gap for the inlet hose 30 such that the suction from the inlet hose 30—or more specifically, the vacuums 80, 84—does not cause the inlet hose 30 to stick against the collection system. By way of a non-limiting example, the teeth 60 may act as an air gap for the inlet hose 30. The teeth 60 may generally prevent the inlet hose 30 from creating a seal with the collection system, for example, with the walls of the collection system, from the suction of the vacuums 80, 84 passing through the inlet hose 30. There may be gaps between the teeth 60 and these gaps may generally prevent the inlet hose 30 from creating a sealed fit with the collection system.

The debris removal apparatus 10 may further include a pump 70. The pump 70 may be positioned in any appropriate location in the vacuum box 20. In some embodiments, the pump 70 may be positioned generally below the inlet 34, such as by way of a non-limiting example on the floor 44 of the vacuum box 20. In these embodiments, the pump 70 may remove the water that enters the vacuum box 20 back into the collection system in any appropriate location. For example, the pump 70 may reinsert the water into the collection system through the same opening as the inlet hose 30, through a different opening either upstream or downstream from the inlet hose 30, or the like. Moreover, the pump 70 may move the water to a different system than the collection system from which it was pumped. The present teachings are not limited to a specific location. More specifically, the pump 70 may pump the water through an outlet 74 that may be located in the vacuum box 20. The pump 70 may be operatively coupled with the outlet 74 in any appropriate manner. Further, a pump hose 78 may be coupled to the outlet 74. The pump hose 78 may be capable of being placed in operative communication with the collection system so that the water, which may be generally free of debris, may be pumped back into the collection system.

In other embodiments, the pump 70 may be positioned generally outside of the vacuum box 20. In these embodiments, the pump 70 may be operatively coupled with the outlet 74. Optionally, a hose may be coupled between the pump 70 and the outlet 74. Moreover, while a single pump 70 is shown and described, any appropriate number of pumps may be used, e.g., two, three, four, etc. Further, the pump 70 may be a separate component that may be transported to the collection system separate from the vacuum box 20 or in association with the vacuum box 20. Further, any appropriate pump 70 may be used. The present teachings are not limited to a specific pump style or configuration.

The debris removal apparatus 10 may further include a vacuum 80 in operative communication with the vacuum box 20. In some embodiments, the vacuum 80 may be coupled with the vacuum box 20 in any appropriate manner, such as through a vacuum hose 82. In other embodiments, the debris removal apparatus 10 may include a second vacuum 84 in operative communication with the vacuum box 20. The second vacuum 84 may be operatively coupled with the vacuum box 20 in any appropriate manner, such as through a second vacuum hose 86. By way of a non-limiting example, the vacuums 80, 84 may generate suction of approximately 1,600 gallons per minute. In some embodiments, the vacuums 80, 84 may be portable vacuums that may be secured to a truck. In other embodiments, the vacuums 80, 84 may be stationary vacuums that are placed on a surface. Still further, the vacuums 80, 84 may be operatively positioned within the vacuum box 20 in any appropriate manner. While two vacuums 80, 84 are shown, any appropriate number of vacuums may be used, e.g., one, three, four, etc.

The debris removal apparatus 10 may include a pressure reduction mechanism, such as an air inlet 88 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The air inlet 88 may be operatively positioned with the vacuum box 20 at any appropriate location. By way of a non-limiting example, the air inlet 88 may be located at the upper portion 42 of the vacuum box 20. The air inlet 88 may generally release air from the vacuum box 20 when a predetermined pressure within the vacuum box 20 is reached. As the pressure within the vacuum box 20 builds during operation, air may be released through the air inlet 88 such that the ambient pressure within the vacuum box 20 may generally be reduced and may not exceed a predetermined amount.

It should be appreciated that other embodiments of a debris removal apparatus may include elements or components utilized in the above-described embodiments although not specifically shown or described. Thus, the descriptions of these other embodiments are merely exemplary and not all-inclusive nor exclusive. Moreover, it should be appreciated that the features, components, elements and functionalities of the various embodiments may be combined or altered to achieve a desired debris removal apparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the present teachings.

In some embodiments, the debris removal apparatus may include a plurality of pumps instead of a single pump as shown in FIG. 1. Further, a single vacuum may be used instead of the pair shown. The vacuum box 20 may be transportable via a flat bed truck, or it could be a stationary box that may be permanently positioned in operative proximity to the collection system. Further still, the vacuum box 20 may include a trailer configured to transport the vacuum box 20 between different collection systems and the like.

In operation, the debris removal apparatus 10 may be positioned in general proximity to the collection system to be cleaned or from which debris is to be removed. More specifically, the vacuum box 20 may be positioned or may already be located in general proximity to the applicable collection system. The inlet hose 30 may be dropped or otherwise positioned within the collection system in any appropriate manner. Once the inlet hose 30 is positioned within the collection system, the debris removal apparatus 10 may be activated in any appropriate manner. In some embodiments, the debris removal apparatus 10 may include a controller 90 from which an operator may control the debris removal apparatus 10. Specifically, the controller may be operatively coupled with the pump 70 and the vacuums 80 and 84. The controller 90 may activate the pump 70 and/or vacuums 80, 84, control the power to the pump 70 and/or vacuums 80, 84 or may deactivate the pump 70 and/or vacuums 80, 84. The controller 90 may be integrally formed with the debris removal apparatus 10 or may be operatively coupled thereto and be a separate unit. Any appropriate configuration of controller 90 may be used without departing from the present teachings.

Once activated, the vacuum 80 or vacuums 80, 84 (as applicable) may begin their suction. The suction from the vacuums 80, 84 may extend through the inlet hose 30 and into the collection system. The suction from the vacuums 80, 84 is such that the debris and water will begin moving from the collection system, into the inlet hose 30 and into the vacuum box 20.

The suction from the vacuums 80, 84 may be sufficiently strong that the debris travels at such a rate that it may enter the inlet hose 30, e.g., at 1,600 gallons per minute. If, however, the debris is too large to enter the inlet hose 30, it may be traveling at such a rate that as it contacts the debris reduction assembly 55. In contacting the debris reduction assembly 55, the debris may at least be partially disintegrated, broken up or the like such that its size may be reduced to so that the debris may fit through the open end 53 and within the inlet hose 30. The debris may be reduced in size such that it may pass through the entire of the inlet hose 30 through the inlet 34 and into the vacuum box 20.

This may be particularly useful in sewers. Many sewers include tiles, which may be larger than prior art inlet hoses. These tiles, however, may disengage from the sewer walls. A typical waste collection system cleaning apparatus may not be capable of retrieving and removing the tile as the tile is too large for such system. The debris removal apparatus 10, on the other hand, may be capable of breaking up such tile so that a full tile that may not otherwise be capable of fitting into the inlet hose 30 may be broken up to a size that may fit into the inlet hose 30. In these embodiments, the tiles may contact the debris reduction assembly 55, or more specifically, the tiles may contact at least one of the teeth 60. The tile may be moving at such speeds due to the suction from the vacuums 80, 84 that as the tile contacts the teeth 60 it breaks apart. The broken tile may be sufficiently small that it may fit within the inlet hose 30 and travel through the inlet hose 30 and into the vacuum box 20.

Further, during the operation of the debris removal apparatus 10 the pump 70 may remove the water from the vacuum box 20 that is entering due to the suction from the vacuums 80, 84. Removing the water from the vacuum box 20 may permit the debris removal apparatus 10 to continue operating and removing debris from the waste collection system until the vacuum box 20 meets its capacity with debris and not water.

In some embodiments, the vacuums 80, 84 may create suction of approximately 1,600 gallons per minute while the pump 70 may remove the water/fluid at approximately 2,500 gallons per minute. As such, the pump 70 may remove a greater amount of water more quickly than the debris removal apparatus 10, or more specifically, the vacuums 80, 84 vacuum into the vacuum box 20. This may help ensure that the capacity of the vacuum box 20 may be generally filled with debris as opposed to water so that the debris removal apparatus 10 may operate for longer periods of time.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to just the embodiments disclosed, but that the invention described herein is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the claims hereafter. The claims as follows are intended to include all modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the claims or the equivalent thereof. 

Having thus described the invention, we claim:
 1. An apparatus for cleaning a collection system of debris, the apparatus comprising: a debris collector having a capacity; an inlet hose operatively coupled with the debris collector, at least a portion of the inlet hose positionable within the collection system; at least one vacuum operatively coupled with the debris collector, wherein the vacuum creates suction capable of forcing debris and fluid from the collection system into the inlet hose; and a debris reduction assembly attached to the inlet hose, wherein the debris reduction assembly is capable of generally reducing a size of the debris entering the inlet hose.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a pump operatively coupled with the debris collector, wherein the pump is capable of removing fluid from the debris collector.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the pump is capable of removing fluid from the debris collector at a rate greater than the vacuum is capable of suctioning fluid into the collection system whereby a majority of the capacity of the debris collector is capable of being filled with debris.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the debris collector includes a vacuum box.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a pressure reduction mechanism capable of generally reducing pressure in the vacuum box.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pressure reduction mechanism includes at least one air inlet valve.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the pressure reduction mechanism includes a pair of air inlet valves.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second vacuum operatively coupled to the debris collector, wherein at least one vacuum and the second vacuum create suction capable of forcing the debris and fluid from the collection system into the inlet hose and into the debris collector.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the debris reduction assembly comprises: a generally annular ring attached to an end of the inlet hose; a plurality of teeth generally circumscribing at least a portion of the annular ring, wherein the teeth are capable of generally reducing the size of the debris that contact the teeth during operation of the vacuum.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pump is positioned within the debris collector.
 11. An apparatus for cleaning a collection system of debris, the apparatus comprising: a debris collector having a capacity; an inlet hose operatively coupled with the debris collector, a portion of the inlet hose capable of entry into the collection system; at least one vacuum operatively coupled with the debris collector, wherein the vacuum creates suction capable of forcing debris and fluid from the collection system into the debris collector through the inlet hose; and a debris reduction assembly attached to the inlet hose, wherein the debris reduction assembly reduces a size of the debris entering the inlet hose.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a pump operatively coupled with the debris collector, wherein the pump is capable of removing fluid from the debris collector at a rate greater than the vacuum is capable of suctioning fluid into the collection system whereby a majority of the capacity of the debris collector is capable of being filled with debris.
 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the debris reduction assembly comprises: a generally annular ring attached to an end of the inlet hose; a plurality of teeth generally circumscribing at least a portion of the annular ring, wherein the teeth are capable of generally reducing the size of the debris that contact the teeth during operation of the vacuum.
 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the teeth generally circumscribe an entire of a circumference of the annular ring.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the teeth generally circumscribe a portion of a circumference of the annular ring.
 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the teeth include a generally pointed end capable of reducing the size of debris.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the teeth are formed of harden steel.
 18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the teeth generally form an air gap between the inlet hose and the collection system during operation of the vacuum.
 19. A method of removing debris from a collection system, method comprising the steps of: providing a debris collector having a capacity; providing at least one vacuum operatively coupled with the debris collector; providing an inlet hose operatively coupled with the debris collector, the inlet hose including a debris reduction device; creating suction through the inlet hose; vacuuming the debris from the collection system through the inlet hose; contacting the debris with the debris reduction device; reducing size of the debris contacting the debris reduction device; and forcing the debris through the inlet hose and into the debris collector.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the vacuuming of the debris is performed by at least one vacuum operatively coupled with the debris collector.
 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the debris reduction assembly comprises: a generally annular ring attached to an end of the inlet hose; a plurality of teeth generally circumscribing at least a portion of the annular ring, wherein the teeth generally reduce the size of the debris that contact the teeth during the vacuuming.
 22. A method of removing debris from a collection system, method comprising the steps of: creating suction through an inlet hose operatively coupled to a debris collector; vacuuming the debris from the collection system through the inlet hose; contacting the debris with a debris reduction device coupled to the inlet hose; reducing size of the debris contacting the debris reduction device; and forcing the debris through the inlet hose and into the debris collector. 